Lead-wire forming apparatus



July 17, 1962 w. PECHY 3,044,327

LEAD-WIRE FORMING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1960 5 Shee ts-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 17, 1962 w. PECHY LEAD-WIRE FORMING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2'7, 1960 INVENTOR W/LZ/HM PECf/Y,

ATTORNEY July 17, 1962 w. PECHY LEAD-WIRE FORMING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27, 1960 FIG. 7.

, INVENTOR W/Lz /HM PEG 7.

ATTORNEY United States The present invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing fluorescent lamps and the like and, more particularly, to apparatus for flattening the terminal portions of lead wires of fluorescent lamps.

In order to eliminate the shock hazards associated with the inserting of rapid-start and highly-loaded fluorescent lamps into their holders and at the same time reduce the cost of the associated lamp bases, it has become the practice to provide such lamps with recessed-contac type bases wherein the usual base pins are eliminated and the terminal portions of the lead wires themselves are utilized as the lamp terminals. Such terminal portions are flattened and incorporated into the lamp base so as to be recessed within the insulated body portion thereof as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 784,488, filed January 2, 1959, and assigned to the same assignee as the subject application.

Heretofore, the terminal portions of the lead wires for such rapid-start and highly-loaded fluorescent lamps have been flattened either manually or by semi-automatic apparatus, either of which operations is time consuming, expensive, inefiicient and depends upon the judgment and skill of the individual operator.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difliculties of and objections to prior-art practices by the provision of apparatus for simultaneously flattening the lead wires of discharge and incandescent lamps and the like to provide enlarged portions thereof of predetermined thickness.

A specific object of the present invention is the provision of automatic apparatus for simultaneously flattening the terminal portions of a plurality of the lead wires of rapid-start and highly-loaded fluorescent lamps to provide terminal portions of predetermined thickness, which terminal portions are adapted for incorporation into a recessed-contact type base.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing apparatus for simultaneously flattening a first and a second spaced and supported lead wire, said apparatus comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacent the first supported lead wire, a floating anvil disposed in spaced relation from said first supported lead wire and said fixed anvil and between said first and second supported lead wires and a ram normally spaced from said second lead wire and said floating anvil, the ram being operable to force said second supported lead wire against said floating anvil and to cause said floating anvil to force said first supported lead wire against said fixed anvil, the ram being thereafter operable to cause the simultaneous flattening of the first and second lead wires to a controlled predetermined thickness.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus of the present invention located at a lead-wire flattening station of a lead-wire cutting and flattening machine, which apparatus is used for flattening the terminal portions of the lead wires-of a fluorescent'lamp and showing the positions of a fixed anvil, a floating anvil and a ram atent ice of such apparatus at the start of the lead-wire flattening operation with the lead wires of such lamp in position preparatory for such lead-wire flattening operation.

FIG. 2 is a vertical-sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows and incorporating therein the stations before and after the leadwire flattening station.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical-sectional view along the line III-III of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the lead-wire flattening apparatus showing the positions of the fixed anvil, floating anvil and ram at the end of the lead-wire flattening operation.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but on a smaller scale, of the drive means and the ram, with such figure serving as a continuation of the left-hand portion of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of fixed guides, the floating anvil, the fixed anvil and the ram at the start of the lead-wire flattening operation, and having a lamp-elevating plate removed for clarity.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal-sectional view along the line VII-VII of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows and showing the forming grooves provided in the ram and the fixed anvil for determining. the controlled thickness of the flattened lead wires.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a fluorescent lamp, the lead wires of which have been flattened to the predetermined thickness by the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side-elevational view, partially in section, of one end of the fluorescent lamp shown in FIG. 8 with a base afiixed thereto and the flattened lead wires bent over inwardly so as to be recessed within an insulated body portion of such base.

Although the principles of the present invention are broadly applicable to the simultaneous flattening of a plurality of lead wires to a predetermined thickness, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in the simultaneous flattening of the terminal portions of the lead wires of rapid-start and highly-loaded fluorescent lamps and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described.

With'specific reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, a frame of the lead-wire flattening apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral '10, which frame 10 is disposed at station B (FIG. 2), a lead-wire flattening station, of a lead-wire cutting and flattening machine (not shown). I

Since the lead-wire cutting and flattening apparatus, per se, forms no part of the present invention, it is deemed suflicient to say that the conveyor, lamp-supporting means mounted on said conveyor for supporting a fluorescent lamp 12 (FIG. 2) and the means associated with such conveyor for indexing the lamp-supporting means and the fluorescent lamp 12 from work station to work station, all of which are not shown herein, are similar to the corresponding members shown in US. Patent No. 2,764,953, issued October 2, 1956, to D. Mullan.

Prior to the lead-wire flattening operation at station E lead wires 14 and 16 of the fluorescent lamp 12 are first cut to a predetermined length at a preceding work station, as in the above-mentioned US. Patent No. 2,764,- 953, and subsequently such fluorescent lamp 12 is then indexed to station A (FIG. 2), an idle station. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2, such fluorescent lamp 12 is indexed to the left (a distance d) from station A into station B, the lead-wire flattening station. During such indexing movement from station A to station B (from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 2, and from top to bottom, as viewed in FIG. 1), the lead wires 14 and 16 pass between stationary converging outer guides 18 and 20 (FIGS. 1 and 6) upstanding from the frame and a center wedge-shaped guide 22 projecting inwardly between the outer guides 18 and 29 from a floating anvil 24. When the lamp 12 has completed its indexing movement into station B, the lead wires 14 and 16 are preliminarily positioned adjacent a lamp-lifting plate 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is mounted on a block 23 and overlies a shouldered portion 30 (FIGS. 2 and 6) of the floating anvil 24. l

During the lead-wire flattening'operation, the lamplifting plate 26 functions as a stationary stop for positioning me lead wires 14 and 16 along the longitudinal axis of the lamp 12 and in registry with the lead-wire flattening apparatus of the present invention. As can be noted from FIG. 1, lead wire 14 is disposed adjacent the left-hand side face of the floating anvil 24 and the lamplifting plate 26 while the lead wire 16 is disposed in a cavity 32 having a width d (FIG. 6). This cavity 32 is defined by the right-hand face of the floating anvil 24, the lamp-fitting plate 26 and a forming groove 34 provided in a forming face ofa fixed anvil 36, which form- 'ing groove34 is utilized to control the final thickness of the flattened lead wire 16, as hereinafter related.

In order to normally position the center guide 22 and the floating anvil 24 the distance d (FIG. 6) from the fixed anvil 36 during the indexing movement of such lamp 12 (a distance d, FIG. 2) from stat-ion A to station B, the floating anvil 24, which is mounted for horizontal-reciprocating movement on a dove-tail guide 38 (FIG. 6), is biased by a compression spring 44) against a stop pin 46 upstanding from the guide 38. This spring 40 is contained in a slot 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4) within such floating anvil 24 between the left-hand end of such slot 42 and a pin 44 upstanding from the guide 38.

So that such fixed anvil 36 may be adjustably positioned with respect to the floating anvil 24 and the distance d (FIG. 6) may be varied as desired, the abovementioned fixed anvil 36 is first mounted on an anvil body 48 (FIG. 1) by a retaining ring 49 which is secured to the anvil body 48 and is rotatable on an annular embossment 49. on the fixed anvil 36; .and the anvil body 48 is then .threadably mounted in the frame 10 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4). Manual rotation of the anvil body 48 and retaining ring 49 cause longitudinal movement of the fixed anvil 36 in a pocket 51 (FIG. 6) formed by the floating anvil 24 andthe fixed guide 20, with the anvil body 48 being thereafter retained in the desired adjusted position byanut (FIG. l).

After the lead wires 14 and.16 have been preliminarily positioned in the cavity 32- and between the floating anvil 24 and the fixed anvil 36, a positioning finger 52 (FIGS. 1 and 6) and a ram 54 carried by a ram body 56 are moved from the starting position shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6 to the right, as viewed in such figures, to the flattening position shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. so that the positioning finger 52may first finally position the lead Wires and the ram 54 may then cause the flattening of the lead wires 14-and 16. During this movement the ram 54 enters a pocket 51 formed by the floating anvil 24 (FIG. 6) and fixed guide 18.

The means utilized to reciprocate the positioning finger 52 and the ram 54 between the starting position (shown in FIG. 3) and the flattening position (shown in FIG. 4) comprises an arm 58 (FIG. 5) eccentrically mounted on a shaft 60 and connected by a ball and socket joint 62 to the ram body 56. Such shaft 60 and the arm 58 are rotated in ei ther clockwise or counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5), as. desired, by means of a belt 64 extending around a pulley 66 on the shaft 60, which belt 64 is driven by conventional drive means, such as a motor (not shown).

to a cam-driven linkage (not shown).

ness of the flattened lead wire 14) forces the finally posi-' tioned lead wire 14 against the left-hand side face of the floating anvil 24 and moves such floating anvil 24 to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, on the guide 38 (against the action of the spring 40) so that the finally positioned lead wire 16 is similarly forced against the forming groove 34 in the fixed anvil 36. Further movement of the ram 54 flattens the lead wires 14 and 16 to the desired predetermined thickness as determined by the depth :1 (FIG. 7) of such forming grooves 34' and 34. This predetermined thickness al is achieved, of course, when contact faces 68 and 68' on the ram '54 and fixed anvil 36 respectively engage the left-hand and right-hand side faces of the floating anvil 24 respectively, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 7. The flattened lead wires 14 and 16 'are now positioned (FIG. 4) in substantially equi-spaced relation on either side of the longitudinal axis of the fluorescent lamp 12.

The ram 54 and positioning finger 52 are then retracted by the drive means to the left from the flattening position (shown in FIGS. 4 and 7) to the starting position (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6), preparatory for the elevation (with respect to the lamp-supporting means, not shown) of the fluorescent lamp 12 with its now flattened lead wires 14 and 16 (FIG. 8) by the lamplifting plate 26 from the solid-line position (shown at station B in FIG. 2) to the dotted-line position shown thereat. This elevating movement of the fluorescent lamp 12 is necessary to enable the fluorescent lamp 12 to clear the lead-wire flattening apparatus of the present invention preparatory for the indexing of such fluorescent lamp 12 to station C, another idle station. In order to elevate the lamp-lifting plate 26 into engagement with the fluorescent lamp 12 and elevate the latter to the dotted-line position shown at station B, a reciprocating mechanism (FIG. 2) is provided.

Reciprocating Mechanism As shown in FIG. 2 the reciprocating mechanism comprises essentially the lamp-lifting plate 26 mounted on the block 28, which block 28 is in turn mounted on an operating rod 70 connected in the conventional manner In order to prevent rotation of the block 28 and the lamp-lifting plate 26 during the lamp-lifting operation, the left-hand side face of the block 28 (FIG. 2) rides on a flat surface 69 provided on the frame 10. While the fluorescent lamp 12 with its now flattened lead wires 14 and 16 are held in the elevated dotted-line position shown at station B (FIG. 2) by the lamp-supporting means, such fluorescent lamp is indexed a distance d (FIG. 2) from station B to station C, an idle station on the lead-wire cutting and flattening machine.

Thereafter, the fluorescent lamp 12 is transferred from the lead-wire cutting and flattening machine to a basing machine (not shown), but of the type shown in the abovementioned US. Patent -No. 2,764,953 where a prefilled recessed-contact type base 72 (FIG. 9) is threaded over the now flattened lead wires 14 and 16. The projecting portions of such flattened lead wires 14 and 16 are then bent over reentrant portion 74 of such base 72 to recess such flattened end portions of the lead wires 14 and 16 within the base 72 as shown in FIG. 9.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that,

' as an alternative embodiment of the present invention,

its right and lefthand side faces (FIGS. 3 and 4) re spectively and that the contact faces of the ram 54 and the fixed anvil 36 may be flattened to achieve the same controlled limited flattening of the lead wires 14 and 16 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of apparatus for simultaneously flattening lead wires to a controlled predetermined thickness. Specifically, the apparatus. of the present invention is operable to flatten the terminal portions of a plurality of lead wires of fluorescent lamps to a controlled predetermined thickness preparatory for incorporation of the latter into a recessed-contact type base.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires for an electric lamp, comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacent a first lead wire, a floating anvil reciprocably mounted in registry with said fixed anvil and disposed between said pair of lead wires so that said first lead wire is located between said floating anvil and said fixed anvil, a ram disposed in registry with said floating anvil and said fixed anvil and normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is disposed between said ram and said floating anvil, and drive means connected to said ram for moving said ram toward said floating anvil to compress said second lead wire against said floating anvil, said drive means eing further operable to move said ram and said floating anvil, and said second lead wirev compressed therebetween toward said fixed anvil so that said first lead Wire is compressed against said fixed anvil, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said ram to flatten said second lead wire against said floating anvil and to cause said floating anvil to flatten said first lead wire against said fixed anvil.

2. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires for an electric lamp to a controlled predetermined thickness, said apparatus comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacent a first lead wire and provided with a first forming groove having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, a floating anvil reciprocably mounted in registry with said fixed anvil and disposed between said pair of lead wires so'that said first lead wire is between said floating anvil and said first forming groove, a ram disposed in registry with said floating anvil and said fixed anvil and provided with a second forming groove also having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, said ram being also disposed normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is between said second forming groove and said floating anvil, and drive means connected to said ram for moving said 'second forming groove toward said floating anvil to compress said second lead wire against said floating anvil, said drive means being further operable to move said second forming groove and said floating anvil and said second lead wire compressed therebetween toward said fixed anvil so that said first lead Wire is compressed against said first forming groove, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said second forming groove to flatten said second lead wire against said floating anvil and to cause said floating anvil to flatten said first lead wire against said first forming groove to the controlled predetermined thickness as determined by the depth of said first and second forming grooves.

3. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires for an electric lamp toa controlled pre-dctermined thickness, said apparatus comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacent a first lead wire, a floating anvil reciprocably mounted in registry with said fixed anvil, said floating anvil being provided with a first forming groove having a depth equal to saidpredetermined thickness and disposed adjacent said first lead wire so that said first lead wire is between said first forming groove and said fixed anvil, said floating anvil being also provided with a second forming groove disposed adjacent a second lead wire and also having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, a ram disposed in registry with said floating anvil and said fixed .anvil and normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is between said ram and said second forming groove, and drive means connected to said ram for moving said ram toward said floating anvil to compress said second lead wire against said second forming v groove, said drive means being further operable to move said ram and said second forming groove and said second lead wire compressed therebetween toward said fixed anvil so that said first lead wire is compressed against said first forming groove, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said ram toflatten said second lead wire-against said second forming groove and to cause said first forming groove to flatten said first lead wire against said fixed anvil to the controlled predetermined thickness as determined by the depth of said first and second forming grooves.

4. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires of a supported fluorescent lamp to a controlled predetermined thickness, said apparatus comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacent a first lead wire and provided with a first forming groove having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, a floating anvil reciprocably mounted in registry with said fixed anvil and dis posed between a second lead wire and said first lead wire so that said first lead wire is between said floating anvil and said first forming groove, a stop member between said lamp and said floating anvil and adjacent said lead wires, a ram disposed in registry with said floating anvil and said fixed anvil and provided with a second forming groove also having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, said ram being also disposed normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is between said second forming groove and said floating anvil, positioning means carried by said ram, and drive means connected to said ram for causing said positioning means to position said lead wires against said stop member and for moving said second forming groove toward said floating anvil to compress said second lead wire against said floating anvil, said drive means being further operable to move said second forming groove and said floating anvil and said second lead wire compressed therebetween toward said fixed anvil so that said first lead wire is compressed against said first forming groove, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said second forming groove to flatten said second lead wire against said floating anvil and to cause said floating anvil to flatten said first lead wire against said first forming groove to the controlled predetermined thickness as determined by the depth of said first and second forming grooves.

5. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires of a supported fluorescent lamp to a controlled predetermined thickness, said apparatus comprising a fixed anvil disposed adjacenta first lead wire and provided with a first forming groove having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, at floating anvil reciproca'bly mounted in registry with said fixed anvil and disposed between a second lead wire and said first lead wire so that said first lead wire is between said floating anvil and said first forming groove, a stop member between said lamp and said floating anvil and adjacent said lead wires, a ram disposed in registry with said floating anvil and said fixed anvil and provided with a second forming groove also having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, said ram being also disposed normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is between said second forming that said first lead wire is compressed against said first forming groove, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said second forming groove to flatten said second leadwire against said floating anvil and ,to cause said floating anvil to flatten said first lead wire against said first forming groove to the controlled predetermined thickness as determined by the depth of said first and second forming grooves, and reciprocating means connected to said stop member and operable to cause said stop'member to engage said lamp and to remove said lamp from said apparatus;

6. Apparatus for simultaneously flattening a pair of spaced lead wires of a'supported fluorescent lamp to a controlled predetermined thickness; said apparatus comprising a frame, a fixed anvil on said frame adjacent a first lead wire and provided with a first forming groove havinga depth equal to said predetermined thickness, a stop means on said frame, a floating anvil reciprocably mounted on said frame in registry with said fixed anvil and biased against said stop means between a second lead wire and said first lead wire so that said first lead ;wire

is between said floating anvil and said first forming groove,

adjacent said lead Wires, a ram reciprocably mounted on said frame in registrywith said floating anvil and-said fixed anvil and provided with a second forming groove also having a depth equal to said predetermined thickness, saidram being also disposed normally in spaced relation with respect to said floating anvil so that said second lead wire is between said second forming groove and said floating anvil, a positioning finger carried by said ram, drive means connected to said ram for causing said positioning finger to position said lead wires against said stop plate and for moving said second forming groove toward said floating anvil to compress said second lead wire against said floating anvil, said drive means being further operable to move said second forming groove and said floating anvil and said second lead wire compressed therebetween toward said fixed anvil so that said first lead wire is compressed against said first forming groove, said drive means being then operable to simultaneously cause said second forming groove to flatten said second lead Wire against said floating anvil and to cause said floating anvil to flatten said first lead wire against said first forming groove to the controlled predetermined thickness as determined by' the depth of said first and second forming grooves, and reciprocating means connected to said stop plate and operable to cause said stop plate to engage said lamp and to remove said lamp from said apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 795,209 Ellis et al July 18, 1905 1,907,532 Flaws May 9, 1933 1,972,789 Newkirk Sept. 4, 1934 2,694,952 Clevenger Nov. 23, 1954 

